Jul 1st, 2009 - Houston Chronicle
OXFORD, Fla. - A 12-foot pet Burmese python broke out of an aquarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl in her bedroom Wednesday at a central Florida home, authorities said.
Shaunnia Hare was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m., Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.
Charles Jason Darnell, the snake's owner and the boyfriend of Shaunnia's mother, discovered the snake missing from its aquarium and went to the girl's room, where he found it on the girl and bite marks on her head, Caruthers said. Darnell, 32, stabbed the snake until he was able to pry the child away.
Related stories:
Autopsy: 2-year-old girl killed by python died of asphyxia
Jul 3rd, 2009 - Los Angeles Times
OXFORD -- The 2-year-old girl killed by an albino Burmese python Wednesday in Sumter County died of asphyxia, according to preliminary results released moments ago from an autopsy being conducted...
Pet python strangles toddler
Jul 2nd, 2009 - BBC NEWS
A pet Burmese python measuring more than eight feet long (2.4 metres) has broken out of its tank and strangled a two-year-old girl in the bedroom of her home in Florida. A spokesperson for Sumter County Sheriff's Office...
Latest tragedy highlights debate
Jul 2nd, 2009 - MiamiHerald
When exotic animals attack, they reignite the debate about how best to regulate them -- particularly in Florida, where anacondas, pythons and even iguanas have recently come under scrutiny by local and state governments. In the past year...
Pet python escapes, kills girl in Fla.
Jul 2nd, 2009 - Boston
OXFORD, Fla. - An 8-foot pet Burmese python broke out of an aquarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl in her bedroom yesterday at a central Florida home, authorities said.
Officials: Escaped 12-foot pet python strangled 2-year-old girl in Fla. home
Jul 1st, 2009 - StarTribune
OXFORD, Fla. - A pet Burmese python measuring more than 8 feet long broke out of a terrarium and strangled a 2-year-old girl in her bedroom Wednesday at a central Florida home, authorities said...
